Elinor's Decision
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: Queen Elinor has decided whether the throne she rules from is making it too hard to love and care for her daughter. Now she makes the choice between remaining royalty and giving it up for her heart's desire.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Brave_, Pixar does.

* * *

**Elinor's Decision**

It was a fine day at the DunBroch castle. The royal court was filled with people from all walks of life, who sat in eager anticipation of the words of wisdom of their queen. They all stood to attention as King Fergus and Queen Elinor entered the room. Elinor wore her crown again, but her hair was loose from her old braids. Some people wondered why their daughter, Merida, was sitting amongst them instead of on her princess's throne with her parents.

Merida, too, had been wondering this. She figured that it was just her mother's way of giving her the space she needed, because she wasn't being groomed so strictly to be the princess anymore. "Oh well," she thought, "Let's hear what mum has to say. I hope she has something very wise to say today."

King Fergus sat on his throne, and whispered to his wife, "You sure you know what you're doin', dear?"

Queen Elinor gave him a warm look. "Yes, dear," she said confidently, "I've been sure since Merida freed me from the bear curse days ago."

"Well, then, good luck," said Fergus, "But you know there'll always be a place for you and Merida here."

"I know, Fergus," she said, kissing him, "I know."

Merida blinked in surprise for the nth time since her mother's salvation. It never was like her mother to kiss a relative in public, not even her own husband. "Wow, mother really _is_ changing for the better."

Elinor stood before the people and gently hushed them. She began to speak to them.

"People of DunBroch, my beloved countrymen and women," she began, "I have called you all together today to talk about a piece of wisdom that I believed for a long time, but have since come to reconsider. Perhaps some of you have heard of the old phrase, 'Don't change horses in the middle of the stream?'"

Many of the people nodded or murmured, "Yes."

"Well, 'tis my opinion that the man who originally coined that phrase probably tried it and fell in the creek," she joked. The people were surprised at her show of humor, but a second later, they laughed with her. Merida grinned as she laughed. Fergus chortled.

Elinor continued, "But I've come to believe that we can't be afraid to make a change, even if it means getting a little wet, and that's the promise the spirits and our ancestors have for us. Each day is a new opportunity to make changes in our lives. Now while we're on the subject of change, this is a chance to get rid of a little of yours," she joked again. More laughter rose from the crowd as two butlers passed around a couple of bowls to put charitable donations in for the kingdom and it's royal family.

Merida turned to her brothers, the Triplets. "You know, boys, I'm already getting a lot out of this; mum is terrific!"

The triplets giggled. They said that their mummy was so interesting they never had a second to doze off. Merida giggled, too.

In a few minutes, all the donations had been collected. The butlers put the bowls away for safekeeping, and Queen Elinor resumed her speech. This was the moment she'd been waiting for for days. Though her husband, the King, knew about what she was going to say already, Merida and the triplets didn't know yet. That was because Elinor wanted it to be a delightful surprise for them, especially Merida. She put her teeth together and clenched her fists in anticipation and spoke.

"I have a few announcements I'd like to make this morning," she said. "Two weeks from today, there will be a hotcake breakfast in the communion hall right after the morning service. The proceeds will be used to help pay for the banners."

The people laughed quietly again, clearly enjoying this. They rather liked the new Queen Elinor.

"We will also be having a festival this afternoon to celebrate DunBroch's annual maiden beauty contest from one to five," she continued, "It's only one gold coin to gain admittance, and this time the men _promise_ not to 'accidentally' tear any women's dresses off."

"Awww," some of the men moaned. The women had a good laugh at that. Merida and the triplets almost couldn't control their giggles.

Then Elinor said, "Finally, I would like to express my appreciation for the continued support you've all given I and my family for the seventeen years that I've been your monarch. In conjunction with that, I'd like to tell you just a little bit about a certain special young lady who is with us today. I don't need to ask her to stand up; she knows who she is, and so do you, or you soon will."

Merida knew her mother was talking about her. She hoped that her mother wasn't planning on reopening some of her stuffy customs, or putting her through lessons again, because Elinor had changed so much for the better after the incident with the bear curse.

"But she's been more than just a friend," Elinor explained, her eyes shining, "She's been instrumental in changing my life and my soul for the better, not to mention helping me get in touch with my true feelings and not cowering from them."

"Merida, she's talkin' about you," said one of the triplets to Merida. Merida told him, "I know."

"I want to thank her, from the very bottom of my heart, for helping me to reach a very important decision," said Elinor, "so following the festival this afternoon and the great feast this evening..."

Everyone listened with interest. Merida wasn't sure what to expect.

"...I'll be hanging up the tiara," Elinor finished with a look of peace and tranquility on her face.

There were startled murmurs among the people. Merida stared unblinking at her mother, hoping against hope that this meant what she thought it meant.

"I'm leaving the throne," said Elinor, "And I would like to thank the will o' the wisps, and my wonderful daughter, Merida, for giving me the strength to do it. You see, after my time of being so strict with my daughter, and acting like her mistress instead of her mother, I realized that I am no longer the good monarch I once was. But after spending one day and two nights as a bear and, in the process, bonding with Merida like I never have before, I know that my path in life is no longer that of a royal queen, but that of a loving mother to guide my daughter through life, but also to enjoy precious life with her as much as possible, and to stop treating her like my student or servant."

Merida looked at her mother with wonder. She felt much the same way that Elinor had felt when Merida had made her speech to the warring clans that they should choose who to marry.

"And so," Elinor continued, "I have learned a lesson in humility, a much greater virtue than pride. My place is with Merida, and with the wide world of adventure, not pouring over sterile documents and letters. But fear not. You will not be without a ruler. My husband shall be going with me into my departure from the royalty, as well as my three wee triplets, but already preparations have been made for several candidates to succeed us on the throne, and I assure you, all of them are as fair rulers as King Fergus and I have been to you. This is a great kingdom, and I wish all of you well, but loving mothers are better people than strict queens, and I will do anything to keep the daughter I love to the end of our lives and beyond."

A tear rolled down Merida's cheek. Never before had she heard her mother express such love for her in front of the whole kingdom. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet and embraced Elinor.

"You're wonderful, mum," she said joyfully, "I never knew you could or would give up something so high and mighty as a queen's throne for me."

Elinor hugged her only daughter. "I would give up anything for you, my brave young lass."

From the masses arose much applause. Evidently, many of the people were moved by this speech.

Some people were silent, not sure what to think of this.

A few men and women booed and hissed, obviously disapproving of their queen's planned actions.

But it didn't matter to Merida or Elinor how many people approved or disapproved of this decision. They had a lifetime to enjoy with each other, and there was a whole wide world out there, waiting for them to face it and conquer it.

The triplets, also amazed by their mother's choice, joined the embrace. Elinor kissed them, too. Fergus gave them all a big bear hug.

"So," he said, "When we 'hang up the crowns,' as you put it, dear, where do we go from there?"

Elinor smiled and shrugged. "Why don't we just go wherever the wisps take us? They'll bring us the true riches of a happy family, and that isn't gold or money."

Fergus chuckled. "Now that I finally consider believing in the wisps, I think you're correct, Elinor."

* * *

After leaving the kingdom behind, Merida, Elinor, Fergus, and the Triplets followed the will o' the wisps to a trail that led them to what would be their future home, a place to the south of the castle, filled with the beauty of a natural landscape of Scotland. There, Fergus became a hunter, providing for his family. The triplets played with the dogs every day until they got tired.

And Elinor and Merida? They simply lived each day as it came, telling and listening to stories, riding their horses, swimming and frolicking in the water, following and chasing animals, and many other adventures too numerous to name here. Wherever they were, Elinor always insisted on going with Merida on all the hair-raising stunts: archery, rock climbing, skinny-dipping, horseback races, and more, though they also did more tame things, like watch the birds, catch butterflies, study ants, and go fishing. No longer being the lady-like queen of Scotland, Elinor also took up some of Merida's unruly and odd habits, letting her keep weapons on the dining table, eating ravenously, burping, spitting a drink if surprised by something, and generally clowning around with the girl who saved her from herself, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

Once, while swimming, Merida remarked to her mother, "You know, mum, sometimes you act as if you're younger than me, like maybe the triplets' age. What happened? I thought mothers had to act like, well, their age."

Elinor laughed merrily, splashed Merida in the water and said, "Darling, I've had to be my age far too often. Who says you can't be a wee little child again?"

But Elinor still retained her older, wiser self, too, using it to nurture her daughter's growth as a girl, and she never laid aside her wisdom that she had achieved as queen of the land, and she continued to make sure that Merida would evolve into a mature young woman. That was vitally important both for a mother and her daughter. They also kept their tapestry that showed Merida and bear-Elinor holding hands as a memoir of how they reconciled with each other.

And they were both very happy. They didn't win the fame of the whole country anymore, but they were happy.

* * *

**A/N:** I don't know when the phrase, "Don't change horses in the middle of the stream," was originally coined, nor do I know who originally said it. I just thought it would make an interesting detail in this story.

**Please R&R! But please, no flames about anything. I would appreciate it.**


End file.
